Barking apparatus



May2z,192s. l 1,670,723

- F.. E. HUMMEL f BARKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 9, 1924 I s sheeis-sheet 1 l Mw nvcnoz N ]''EHummeL War-119%' if MW;

ttozuesg 1 May 22, 192s'. 1,610,723

F. E. HUMMEL BARKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 9, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 2 \N NN FZ/Yumme/ i; www; Amyv 21m-w.

May 22, 192s. 1,670,723

F. E. HUMMEL BARKING APPARATUS V Filed Aug. 9, 1924 s sheets-sheet 5 [ZT/Yanne! Patented May 22, 1928.

PATENT oFFicE.

FREDERICK E. HUMMEL, 0F HOZPEWELL, VIRGINIA.

BARKING AYPABATUS.

Application led. August 9, 1924. Serial No, 731,095. 'i

This yinvention relatesl to barking apparatus, and more especially to a machine for removing the bark from logs and slabs, and

has for one of its objects to provide a de Vice of this character which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and more efficient in use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

The invention alsol consists in t-he novel method of loosening and removing the bark from slabs, logs, and the like, which consists in subjecting the said logso'r slabs to a pounding action, whereby the bark is loosened from the fibres of the interior portions of the tree to such an extent asto entirely free the raw material from the outer coating of bark. l

ln ordinary saw mill practice, it is customary to first square a log, which means that the log is sawed lengthwise upon four sides, at substantially right angles to each other, so as to cause the lumber to assume a substantially square shape in cross section. The portions which are removed are commonly known asvslabs, and of .course comprise relativel long strips, curved on one side and straight on the other. These strips or slabs, of which four are secured from each log as a result of this method of sawing, contain an appreciable amount of wood fibre from the interior portion of the tree, which fibre is quite valuable for pa'per making purposes, providing it can be eflif 'ciently freed from the bark, which is at- Itilicied to the outer curved portion of the s a rIhese slabs are considered by the saw mill l people as being more or less waste, and they are usually either burned or Sold for fuel at a very 'small cost, so that .if an ellicient means can be devised whereby the bark can be removed from such slabs, they will constitute an excellent source of cheap material for paper making.

lt is one of the primary objects, therefore, of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby the bark may be readily and completely removed from such slabs `in order that they may be used for this purpose, although it will be understood that-both the process and the machine are equally applicable forV use in debarking whole logs, if desired.

Barking machines devisedv for removing have been heretofore the bark from' whole logs. but so far as I am aware, they operate either upon the shavlng principle in which a knife blade is caused toact upon the log to shave ofi'1 the bark, or upon the drum principle 'in which the logs are cut into relatively short lengths and placed within a drum, where they are subjected to a tumbling action whereby the bark is ground from the body portion of the tree.

Both of these previous methods are open .to tl-1e objection'that owing-to the irregularlties occurring in tree trunks and branches, that some of the valuable wood fibre is necessarily lost, eitherv in the shaving of the logs or in the action of thebarking drums, since it is obviously impossible to set a knife. so that it will automatically take care of such irregularities which occur on the surfaces of the logs. In like manner, in the barking drum process, the high parts of the logs will be debarked first wherethe low places will not be touched, and ifl the barking action is continued long enough to remove the bark from these low places, then portions of the valuable wood pulp fibres on he high places will also be ground off and ost.

Another serious objection to using thebarking drum process is the fact that the constant pounding brooms and shreds the ends of the logs to such an extent that when the log reaches the chipper a good deal of wood on`each end chips up into coarse sawdust instead of into good chips.

NVith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the vdescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel steps and combinations of steps constituting the method and in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts constituting the apparatus, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views ;l

Figure 1' is aside elevational view of a. barking apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, suitable for carrying out the process constitutlng a portion thereof;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view -of the parts shown in Fig. 1, as viewed from the left of the said figure v Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, of one of the barkin members; and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiona view, artl in elevation, taken approximately on t e p ane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring more especially to the said drawings, the numeral indicates generally a suitable framework comprising the spaced side members, l1 and 12, which are maintained in spaced relation by `suitable end members, 13 and 14, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 3. The upper surface of the said frame 10 carries a plate or cover member 15, which bridges the members 11 and 12, `and upon the said cover member adjacent one end of the frame 10, there is provided anelectric motor or other suitable source of power 16, which serves to furnish power for the various operating parts.

At the opposite end of the frame to they said motor 16, there is suitably journalled a 4horizontal transverse Shaft 1-7, which is provided with a pulley 18, around which passes a belt 19,` which also engagesthe pulley 20 upon the ,shaft of the motor 16, whereby power will be transmitted from the -said motor tothe shaft 17.

The said shaft 17 is also provided with a bevclled gear 21,'see Figs. 1 and 2, which meshes with a companion gear 22 carried by a vertical shaft 23 suitably journalled as at 24 upon the frame member 11, and the said shaftmember 23 carries at its lower end a. bevelled gear 25 which meshe'sv with a companion ear 26, carried by the horizontal longitudinally extending shaft 27, j ournalled in suitable bearings 28, upon the framemember 11. The said shaft 27 is provided with a plurality of worms 29, each of which meshes with a companion worm gear 30, rigidly carried by the transversely extending shafts 31 and 32. rl`he said shafts 31 and 32 are jour- `nalled in suitable bearings carried by the frame members 11 and 12, and they are provided with suitable transversely extending supporting rolls 33, as will be clear from the drawings.

' Each of the shafts 32 is provided with a l pair of spaced arms 34, one end ofwhich is journally mounted upon the said shafts 32, while the other end vof the said arms journally mounts a transverse shaft 35, which carries a feed roll 36. The' shafts 32 are also eachvprovided with the enlarged gear Wheels 37, which mesh with companion gears 38, carried by the shafts 35, so that thejsaid feed rolls 36 may be positively driven, as will be readily understood.

It will be noted that the construction thus described provides a feeding means for moving the logs or slabs longitudinally through the machine, which means is adapted to au' tomatically accommodate itself to slabs of different sizes,l since owing to the fact that the feed rolls are pivoted upon thel shafts 32 through their supporting arms 34, they are free to rise and fall about said shafts 32 to rceive the slabs of different thicknesses.

Furthermore, due to the fact that the shafts*- about the shafts 32, the gears, 37 and 38 will' l 35 and feed rolls 36 thus pivotally move always remain in mesh without binding, thereby insuring a constant positivedrive of the feed rolls 36.

Additional table or supporting rolls 39 may be provided intermediate the driven table rolls 33, as shown, the said rolls 39 being carried by shafts 40 journalled in bearthey carry the barking members, which constitute the essence of the present invent-ion, as will now be described.

Referring first to the shaft 46, appearing adjacent the left hand end of Fig. 1, it will be noted that it carries a plurality of spaced discs 48, which discs are interconnected adjacent their peripheries by the transversely extending rods 49. As here shown, th reI are eight of these rods 49 which are equid'stantly spaced about the circumference of the discs, and each rod carries between each pair of discs a chain member 50 which is freely mounted with respect to the said rod for rotation thereon, so that it may be subject to the influence of centrifugal -action as 'the -shaft46 and discs 48 are rotated.

Each chain member, which is preferably.

composed of round links, as shown, inorder to equalize and reduce wear,1s provided at its other end with a weight or ball 51, which is also, of course, subject to centrifugal action, as'the parts are revolved. The relations of the said chains and balls with the other parts are so designed and constructed that the balls at their lowest point of travel just clear the tops of thel table rolls 39, sovthat when a log or slab is in position upon the said table logs and-the balls are rotated, they will `be successively brought into contact with the surface of the said log or slab, with a great deal of force, thereby subjecting the barked portionv of the wood to a. pounding action. This action in actual practice has been found quite eilicient for loosening theV bark from the wood fibre, which carries it, so that as the logs or slabs are continuously fed from theleft to the right of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1, they are subjected to a successive pounding action of the various balls 51 carried by the chains 50, until the bark is loosened to such an extent that it will drop oft' of the log or slab.

In many instances it is only necessary to subject the slab to the action of one f these pounding members, but in order to make sure that. all of the. bark is removed and to clean up any small portions which may remain clinging to the slab, 1 prefer to provide a second member carried by the shaft 47 which may be similar in every respect to the first pounding member carried by the shat't 4G. 1

ln some cases it may he desirable to omit the balls. such 5l, from the ends of the chains (il) otl the second pounding member, as is indicated in the drawings, and to only subjectvthe log or slab to the action otl the ends of the chains themselves. In other cases it may be necessary to utilize balls upon the ends ot' the said chains 60 while in some instances it may be possible to dispense with the balls upon both of the pounding members and to completely remove the bark by merely pounding the slabs with the chains alone.

In order to rotate the shafts 46 and 47, they are provided. respectively, with suitable pulleys Gl and 62. around which pass belts, 63 and 64, which are driven from companion pulleys 65 and 66, carried by the shaft 17, above described.

The parts are so designed. constructed, and assembled that the shafts 46 and 47 are revolved, when the motor is. operating, at a speed of approximately from 1500 to 1800 R. P. M. while the positively driven table rolls 33 and the feed rolls '36 are constantly rotate-'d to continually feed the logs or slabs' from left to right, as viewed 1n Fig. 1. to subject them to the pounding action of the barking members.

Any suitable lubricating system may be employed, but I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 one means by which lubrication may be effectively accomplished. This consists in providing the last link of the chain 50 with a rigid laterally extending collar 71 which surrounds the rod or shaft 49, a suitable anti-riction sleeve 72 being interposed between thetwo. The rods 49 are provided with longitudinally extending lubricant passages 73 and with transversely extending passages 74 communiea'tin therewith and leading to each of the anti-friction sleeves 72, as ivill be clear from these ligures. The ends of the rods 49 may be provided with suitable valved nipples 75 for' connection lto the well known high pressure grease gun, or

i to any other suitable lubricant applying member, whereby lubricants may be forced into the passage-s 73 and 74 at suitable intervals to provide sufficient lubrication for the bearing surfaces. i

In actual use a machine constructed in accordance with the present linvention has been found very efficient for iemoving all of the bark from lumber slabs` leaving them in a very clean condition and suitable forv logs, slabs, and

immediate treatment for paper making purposes without further debarking operations. 1 4`urthermorc, the machineV is adapted to operate continuously, thereby greatly increasing the amount of 'lumber which may be debarked within a given time and ex-v as may' be required by the accompanying claims.

What 1s claimed 1s:

1. The method of removing bark from the like, which consists 1n subjecting said bark to the pounding action of a flexible member. y

2. The method of removing bark .from logs, slabs, subjecting the bark-carrying portions of the raw material to the pounding action of a. centrifugally influenced flexible member suiicient to loosen said bark from'the inner wood fibers.

3. The continuous method of removing bark from logs, slabs, and the like, which consists in continuously subjecting successive portions of them to vthe pounding action of a revolving weight. 4. The continuous method of removing bark from logs, slabs, and the like, which consists in continuously subjecting successive barkfcarrying portions of them to the pounding action of rapidly revolving cent-rifugally influenced weights. j

5. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs, and the like, comprising a revoluble member adapted to engage and pound Ythe bark-carrying surfaces of said logs or slabs; and means for feeding positively said logs o'r slabs to said member.

6. AA barking apparatus for logs, slabs, and the like, comprising a revoluble member adapted to engage and pound the barkcarrying surfaces of said logs or slabs; and means for continuously feeding said logs or slabs to said member.

7. Abarking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft; a plurality of flexible members carried by said shaft, adapted to engage and pound said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; andl means for positively feeding' said'logs or slabs to said pounding members.

8. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising va rotatable shaft; a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible and the like, which consists in l lll) lso

members carried by said shaft, adapted to assume substantially radial'positions under the influence of centrifugal force, Vwhereby their end portions may be`cansed to engage and pound said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; and means for feeding positively said logs or slabs to said pounding members. 9. A barking apparatus for lo s, slabs and the like, comprising a rotatable s aft; a plurality of circumferentially s aced flexible members carried by said shag, adapted to assume substantially radial positions under the influence of centrifugal orce, whereby their end portions may be caused to engage and pound said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; and means for continuously feed- 'ang said logs or slabs to said pounding memers.

l0. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs, and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft;

-a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible members carried by said shaft, adapted to assume substantially radial positions under the influence of centrifugal force, Whereby their end portions may be caused to engage and pound said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; and means for continuous` ly feeding said logs or slabs longitudinally to said pounding members.

11. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft;

-a. plurality of flexible members carried by said shaft; weight members carried by said` flexible members,l adapted to engage and pound said logs or slabs as'said shaft is rotated; and means for feeding said logs or slabs to said pounding members.

12. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft;

a plurality of chains, each attached at one end to said shaft, the other ends thereof being free and adapted to engage and pound the surfaces of said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; and means for feeding said logs or slabs to said chains.

13. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft; a plurality of chains, each attached at one end to said shaft, in eircumferentially spaced relation, the other ends thereof being free and adapted to engage and pound the surfaces of said logs or slabs as saidshaft is rotated; and means for continuously feeding said logs or slabs to said chains.

14. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like, comprising, a rotatable shaft; a plurality of chains, each attached `at one end to said shaft, the other ends thereof being free and provided with weight members adapted to engage and pound the surfaces of said logs or slabs as said shaft is rotated; and means for feedingsaid logs or slabs to said weights.

15. A barking apparatus for logs, slabs and the like comprising a rotatable shaft; a plurality of discs rigidly carried by said shaft; arcuately spaced rods carried by said discs parallel to and spaced from said shaft;

a plurality of chains pivotally mounted at one end on each of said rods, the other end portions of said chains being adapted un'- der the influence of centrifugal force. to engage and pound said logs or slabsv as said shaft isrotated; and means for continuously feeding said logs or slabs to said chains.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

' FREDERIQK E. HUMMEL. 

